Located only 30 minutes north-west of Lithgow in the Central-West of New South Wales, the Portland Silo Art makes a great addition to any tour of the area. Unlike other silos, these are cement bins, rather than grain silos, representing the towns history as a cement producer.
Painted in 2018 by Guido van Helten the bins feature past employees of the cement works. Titled “The Foundations”, it pays tribute to the cement works and people who established the town of Portland.
Access to the site is easy, with plenty of parking available. With no fencing, you are able to walk right up to the silos to see the art up close. This is better than some other silo art we have visited, where a fence keeps you away.
The FoundationsPast Employees on the Old Cement Bins
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Providing outstanding views of Australia’s capital city, Mount Ainslie Lookout is a must see place when visiting Canberra. Only a five-minute drive from the War Memorial, although up a windy road, it’s easy to get to.
Several viewing platforms provide vantage points to see the main axis of the city. From here, you can see the Australian War Memorial, at the top of ANZAC Parade. Across Lake Burley Griffin, Old Parliament House sits below Parliament House.
In the photos below, The War Memorial is at the bottom with the domed building. ANZAC Parade is the wide road with the red centre section. Old Parliament House is across the lake and halfway up the hill, while the new centre of Australia’s government has the large flagpole above it.
Mt Ainslie Lookout
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An overgrown sign marks the start of the walking track to Ironbark Falls at Mangrove Mountain (New South Wales Australia). Very easy to miss, the small parking area is 1.2km along Ironbark Road from the Wisemans Ferry Road intersection.
Not far from the parking area, a small track leads off to the left, where you will find an information board. If you miss the track turn off, you will come across a small creek. This means you have gone too far, so turn around and go back.
Ironbark Reserve Walking Trail Sign
The Track Down to the Waterfall
From the information board the track narrows and becomes more overgrown. This provides a really nice atmosphere because you are surrounded by vegetation. Along the way, different plants have name plates, but many are badly weathered and illegible.
Information BoardFaded Information SignStart of the Track
Lower Section of the Track
As you descend through the valley, the track has areas constructed of uneven rocks, so be careful here. In several areas, where the path is steep, or has uneven surfaces, signs warn you to be careful.
The moss-covered rocks and ferny understory create a quiet, shady environment that is very peaceful to walk through.
Helpful SignStep Section of the Track Over Rocks
Things to See Along The Way
Toward the bottom of the valley, near the falls, a fallen tree, now overgrown with moss lies next to the track. Nearby a raised platform with a chair on it sits over another fallen tree. Although too faded to read, there is a plaque on the platform.
Overgrown Fallen TreeOld Rest Spot
Ironbark Falls
At the end of the track, you reach the five-tiered Ironbark Falls. During our visit, no one else was around, so we had the whole area to ourselves. Recent rainfall meant that there was plenty of water flowing and the falls put on a great display for us.
The fern covered banks of the creek surrounding the falls were beautiful giving the whole area a wonderful feeling of tranquillity.
Ironbark FallsPool at the Base of the Falls
What Did We Think?
The entire walk from the car park to the falls only took around 15 minutes, making it a quick but fun hike. The narrow and overgrown trail adds a great feeling to the area, giving it a lovely atmosphere. The falls themselves are really nice, because the look great being surrounded by ferns and shrubs.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
